Petco Refreshes Logo, Issues Warning to Unhealthy Pets It's not a place for any old animalBy Tim Nudd

August 17, 2011, 3:53 PM EDT

Petco said today that it's introducing an updated logo and tagline for the company and its 1,100 stores. You can see the transformation above (old on top, new below). They've done away with the chunky, '70s-smelling type in favor of the trendy and thinner all lowercase. And the cat and dog mascots have gotten a makeover, too—they look a little more anatomically correct, and Kitty's whiskers have been trimmed a bit (not something that's advisable at home). The new tagline adds a single word: "Where the pets go" becomes "Where the healthy pets go." Which is meant to suggest Petco cares about your pet's health but almost sounds like the opposite—that if your animal isn't in tip-top shape, he's S.O.L. and should go elsewhere. I'm sure there's a Petsmart down the block where he can drag his sad self if he's desperate. Official statement from Petco after the jump.

Petco CMO Elisabeth Charles:
"The update to our logo reflects the fresh, forward-looking company that Petco is today. Our new visual identity better reflects the new Petco—healthy, active and contemporary—while retaining the essence of the brand, its warmth and our passion for pets. As our customers sought out higher quality products for their pets, we increased the number of natural and organic pet food brands available in our stores. As sustainability became a pressing issue for many, we introduced Planet Petco, our environmentally friendly range of products. Our new logo and tagline is our way of sharing the news of our evolution with the broader pet-loving community."

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Petco said today that it's introducing an updated logo and tagline for the company and its 1,100 stores. You can see the transformation above (old on top, new below). They've done away with the chunky, '70s-smelling type in favor of the trendy and thinner all lowercase. And the cat and dog mascots have gotten a makeover, too—they look a little more anatomically correct, and Kitty's whiskers have been trimmed a bit (not something that's advisable at home). The new tagline adds a single word: "Where the pets go" becomes "Where the healthy pets go." Which is meant to suggest Petco cares about your pet's health but almost sounds like the opposite—that if your animal isn't in tip-top shape, he's S.O.L. and should go elsewhere. I'm sure there's a Petsmart down the block where he can drag his sad self if he's desperate. Official statement from Petco after the jump.

Petco CMO Elisabeth Charles:
"The update to our logo reflects the fresh, forward-looking company that Petco is today. Our new visual identity better reflects the new Petco—healthy, active and contemporary—while retaining the essence of the brand, its warmth and our passion for pets. As our customers sought out higher quality products for their pets, we increased the number of natural and organic pet food brands available in our stores. As sustainability became a pressing issue for many, we introduced Planet Petco, our environmentally friendly range of products. Our new logo and tagline is our way of sharing the news of our evolution with the broader pet-loving community."